Elon Musk sparked criticism from some of his own followers on Christmas after voicing support for importing more “super talented engineers” to address what he sees as a talent shortage in the U.S. tech industry.
Musk made the statement in response to a discussion on X about the perceived lack of top-tier American-born engineering talent in Silicon Valley. He argued that attracting the best global talent would benefit the entire industry.
“The number of people who are super talented engineers AND super motivated in the USA is far too low,” Musk wrote on Wednesday afternoon. “Think of this like a pro sports team: if you want your TEAM to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be. That enables the whole TEAM to win.”
However, the remarks drew backlash from Musk’s followers, some of whom felt Silicon Valley was neglecting homegrown talent. “There are over 330 million people in America,” one user responded. “Surely, there must be enough among them to build your ultimate team? Why would you deny real Americans that opportunity by bringing foreigners here?”
Musk defended his stance, replying, “OF COURSE my companies and I would prefer to hire Americans and we DO, as that is MUCH easier than going through the incredibly painful and slow work visa process. HOWEVER, there is a dire shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in America.”
Other followers suggested Musk focus on training domestic talent. “Open a school,” one user proposed, adding, “We have brains.” Musk dismissed the idea, saying, “If you need a school, you’ve lost already.”
Critics also accused Musk of being unwilling to pay competitive wages. Eben Plettner, a follower claiming to be a defense industry engineer, wrote, “I work almost 60 hours most weeks and have been a lead systems engineer on several defense projects, and yet every time I turn a resume into your companies, they get rejected. I’ve been told it’s because of my salary.”
Musk’s comments also faced pushback from those skeptical about the supposed talent shortage. “I see tech companies laying off highly skilled tech workers all over the place the past couple of years,” one user noted. “I am an engineer of 10 years with plenty of friends that can’t even get an interview after months and months. Where are you getting this information?”
While Musk defended his position as a practical solution to a complex problem, the criticism highlights growing tensions over immigration and the tech industry’s hiring practices.